Improvement in hand seed-planters



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Letters Patent No. 93,690, dated August 17, 1869; antedated August 4, 1869,

IMPROVEMENT HAND SEED-PLANTERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern: u

Beit known that 1,' J EPTHA DYSON, of Philadelphia,in the county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful' Improvements in Hand SeedPlanters; and I do hereby declare that the -following is a full, clear,'and exact Adescription thereof, reference being had to the accomv per, with the seed-dropping devices removed from it.

Figure 4 is a top view, showing the interior of the hopper, `with its seed-dropping devices applied.

Figure 5 isI a bottom view of the planter.'

Figure 6"is a top view of the foot-piece orlowcr sec-V tion of the planter.

Figure 7 is a top view of the oscillating distributer and its striking-bridge.

Figure 8 is a side view projected from fig, 7 ,i

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding' parts in the several figures;

.This inventionv relates to certain novelilnprovements of that class of hand implements which are designed for planting corn, cotton-seed, peas, beans, and other seeds, at determined distances apart, and which are so constructed that in the act of forming the dibhleholes by pressing their lower ends into the soil, any giveninuxnher ofseeds is deposited, and in the act of withdrawing the said ends, the seedsl canbev cov'- ered, if `-required. v

The nature of my invention consists in attaching, in a suitable manner, to the bottom of a pipe or hollow staff, having a seed-hopper and distributing-devices upon its opposite end, a movable flanged sheath or foot-piecel which piece is'provided with covering-wings, and also with a perforated bottoni through which plnngers work that are fast upon the main pipe or stock, as will be hereinafter explained; and, in conjunction with said'movable section, its plungers and cover-ers, y

The invention also consists in an oscillating seeddistributer, applied in the hopper at the upper end of the pipe or stock, and` operated by a spirally-feathered cylinder upon a rod which is fixed to the said movable section, said distributer serving to take from the hopper a given number of seeds at every oscillation, and

drop them into the pipe or stock, as will be hereinafter explained. v

The invention furtherconsists in a novel construetion of the seed-distributing devices, clearers, guards, and stirrers, whereby these parts are caused to work smoothly and without liability to clog and become deranged, and whereby av given number of seeds canbe deposited into the soil with great precision at, each operation of the implement, as will be hereinafter eX- plained. o

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

In the` accompanying drawings- A4 represents a hollow'stock, whichl may be made o f any suitable diameter and length, and which is preferably made circular in cross-section. This stock ha's a daring hopper, B, formed upon its upper end, and a flaring enlargement formed upon its lower part, which latter terminates in a cylindrical portion, A', of greater diameter than the main body of the stock.

This enlargement receives upon Vit a sheath, D, hav-V ing a perforated bottom, E, which sheath and its bottom are free to slide upon the portion A', and are prevented from turning thereon by a stud, e, upon D, and a long slot, d, in A', as shown in iig. 1.

vAt a'short distance from the bottom of the sheath D, a circular flange, D1, is appledfast to this sheath, upon which flange a number of curved plates, D, is constructed, whichv extend down to the plane of the bottom of the sheath, and serve as means -for covering with earth'the'seeds which are dropped from the implement. c

These 'coverers- D2 are arranged at equal distances apart around the sheath, and in consequence of their curved form they -will gather the earth toward the seeds dropped intothe soil, by'simply giving the impleme/nt a turn about its axis after each operation oi dropping.

The bottom plate E of the sheath is constructed with four, or more or less holes through' it, at equal distances apart around its central rod C, which lholes are designed to allow the seeds to drop into the soil, and also to receive through' them plungers b b, which are secured to the inner side of the 'stock portion A'. The bottom of this plate E is hollowed out centrally to form a space for receiving earth when the lower end of the implement is, pressed down therein, which earth will assist in covering the seeds deposited in the act of lifting the implement.

The upper side of the plate E is constructed with concavities in it, separated by ridges c, sothat no seeds can find lodgement thereon.

The seed-hopper B is provided with a hinged cover, B2, through the centre of which is a hole for allowing the upper end of rod C to play,and the lower end of this hopper terminates in a contraction, B, which forms a space between a fixed plate, g,and the upper end of the hollow stock A, for the fi'ee escape of seeds from this plate, and also for receiving the radial plates a, shown in figs. l and 3. These wings are equally spaced around theaxis of the implement, and form short partitions or divisions for the proper guiding of the seeds in their fall from plate g to the plate E.

At the bottoni of the`hopper B, and iigidly secured therein, in a planewith its top edge, is a ring, S, hav ing a short annular flange formed upon its inner vei'- tical surface for receiving and supporting the plate g.

This plate g is shown in figs. l and 3. It has two holes through it, diametrically opposite one another, through which the seeds are dropped by an oscillating distributing-plate, F.

Plate g forms a cut-ofi" for the holes f through platey F, when this latter plate is in the position shown in fig; 4, but when it is in the-position shown in fig. 1, the holes f are brought directly over the holes through plate g, and seeds will be dropped. This plate g also has a hole through its centre large enough to allow the spirally-ribbed drum C to pla-y freely in a vertical direction.

The circulardistributing-plate Fis fit-ted within the ring S, and upon the plateg, a washer ma be interposed, ii' desirable, so that this plate F is ree to turn about its axis without undue friction.

The holes ff, through this distributer, are-diametrically opposite one another, and serve as seed-cups for receiving seeds from the hopper in proper' quantities, and dropping these seeds through the holes made through plate g every time the lower end of the implement is pressed into the soil.

Through the centre of distribnter-plate F, a circular hole is iliade, having oblique grooves radiating from it, as shown in fig. 7. This hole is adapted for receiving through it a spirally-flanged or feathered drum, C', which is fast upon the rod C, as shown in fig. 1, and by the lengthwise movement of which the plate F will be oscillated.

The distributing-plate F is held down in its place by means of a thin spring-bridge, t, between which and 'said plate a washer is interposed.

This bridge t extends diametrically across the top of plate F, and is centrally perforated to allow the flanged druln C to play f'reely through it. l ts ends rest upon the top of ring S, and may be held down thereon in any suitable manner.

This bridge t is lnadc wide enough to cover' the holes f, which it does when these holes are brought overthe holes through plate y, as shown in fig. 1, and also in dotted lines fig. 7; hence, it will be seen that this bridge t also serves as a striker or cut-ofi for the charges of seed received in the holesf.

Rising from the plate t is a barrel, J, which is held down in place by means ot' a removable bridge, K, the

ends ot' which are tongued and grooved into vblocks o o,

fastened upon the inner side of hopper B, near the upper end thereof.

This barrel J is of such diameter as to receive freely within it the spirally-fianged drum C', when this drum is exposed above the striker t, and the bridge k is centrally perforated to receive through it and serve as a guide for the rod C, carrying the said drum C'.

Within the barrel J is a helical spring, j, which is enclosed between the said bridge lc, and a movable plate, li., and which is iliade of sufficient strength lto restore the several working-parts of the implement.

to their normal position upon the removal. of pressnre after .forming each dibble-hole and Adropping seeds therein.- v

The small sliding plate h is perforated, so that it will receive through it the lrod 0 and rest upon'the upper end of the flanged drum G', as shown in tig. 1.

The nut l, on the upper end of the rod C, serves to keep this rod and its attachments within the body of the implement by bearing against the bridge K, and it also serves as a means 'for adjusting 4Vthe throw of the foot-sections and regulating the amount of movement thereof, and also that ot' the oscillating distrib# uter F.

For the purpose of facilitating and insuring the flow of seed into the holes or cups ff, and the complete charging of the same, I partially surround each hole f with a hevelled or upwardly-flaring border, j, which is secured to or formed on the top surface ofthe plate F at a point in rear of each hole, with its arms extending forward, and being separated from the plate by a space wide enough to receive the striker-bridge t, when plate F is moved so as to bring the holes f beneath said bridge t.

These hevelled arms or borders f f will operate as stirrers and fillers for insuring full charges of seed in the holes'or cups f.

It' desirable, the upper surface of the distributerplate F may be corrugated, or provided with pins or studs, which will agitata theseed in the hopper B, and prevent their clogging.

In fig. 1, I have shown .two light spring-fingers 1I H, which are thin strips, bent so as to overhang the distributer when secured in place by short bolt'and' nuts at i 1'.

One end of each piece H is fitted between flanges n, so as to bc adjustable vertically, and the other end of each piece is arranged directly over the centre of its respective seed-hole or cup f, when the latter is in position for being filled.

These spring-fingers break up any lodgementof seeds of foreign substances about the seed-holes.

The operation is as follows: p v

The seed being put into the hopper B and the cover fastened down at m., the operator proceeds Ato press the lower end of' the implement into the soil as far as the flange or guard-plate D, if necessary. During this operation, the main lbody of the implement will 4descend into. the sheath or foot-piece D and cause the plnngers b 'b to pass down through their respective holes through the plate E, and thus prevent earth from getting into said holes. At. 'the same time the pressureis applied, the feathered drum O will move the distributor F about its axis and bringits holes or cups ff filled with seed over the holes through baseplate 'g and beneath the striker-bridge g. The surplus seeds are thus cut off and the seeds which were in the holes or cups ff are dropped to the bottom of the sheath D. As soon as the operator begins to remove the pressure. from the implement, the plungers l) are retracted into the sheath and the seeds allowed to drop into the dibble-holes. By giving a brisk turn to the instrument before it is fully raised from the ground, the covering-blades D2, underthe guard, will cover the seeds with earth. The spring j within the hopper B will press d own the rod C and its sheath D when pressure is removed from it, and thereby return the oscillating distributor F to the position it first occupied, when its holes or cups will again fill with seeds ready for another distribution.

Having described my invention,

What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y 1. Covering-plates D, applied to the sheath D, beneath a flange or lguard-plate D, said sheath being constructed with a perforated bottom plate, E, to receive through it the pistons or plungers b on the main b ody of the implement, substantially as described.

2. Sheath D, applied upon the lower end of a tubular stock, A, and constructed to operate substantially as described, in combination'with a rod, (l, a spirallyflanged drum, O', and voscillating distributing-plate F,

the latter being applied to the bottom of the hopper,

substantially as described.

3.- Fitting the oscillating plate F within a xed ring, S, upon a perforated bottom plate, g, in combination with a holdingdown bridge, t, applied within the 110pper, substantially as described.

4. The combination of' oseillatingldistributer F andspirally-fianged drum C with al spring-bridge, t, which latter serves to hold said distributer down Vin place and also as. a eut-off or striker, and p'eces H H, applied within the hopper B, and operating substantially as described. A

5. The barrel J, interposed between the bridges t and k, and containing a spring, j, applied so as td op erate upon thewrod O, substantially as described.

6.'Beve11ed overhanging. lIersj, applied to distributer F, substantially as described.

vWitnesses O. M. BANKS, HENRY B. RIEHL. 

